The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-05-12
AN AFFECTING STORY.

. Ex- Governor Curtin recently tol,
, the following incident Of tho lat,
b, war to Newspaper corrceponden
- while discussing some If The affect
ing scenes which he bad Witnessed
during That interesting period.
a Lycomiug county farmer blcss,
Ell by The possession oi broad acres
and fat cattle, ard fattcr cash &C.
count. bad given his five sons more
Iprocous than ali else beside - TIM,
tho Union might bo preserved His
name was Rankin. His wife nas
dead and tho boys were his only So
inco, but when the war against his
contrymcn was declared ho felt ms
did Nolunnia, tho mother Of Carlo
Ianus, whom she said: "ilal | u doz>
On sons, zach in my lovo alike, l had
rather have eleven die molly for their
country than one voluptously surfeit
out of action" SO tho Rankin boys
went to confront grimvisaged war.
The life blood Of two of them nude
moro fertile the rank growth of the
Peninsula and thor bodies lay un-
cllimed amid the thousands who bad
gone down.
The bowed but not brokon father
came to tho Governor Office in Har-
rishurgh with bis tale Of woe. Ans
drew Cartain never turned deaf
ear to such as he. He said; You
are too old man to 80 after your
sons bodies. | will send messeuN
ger for them aud you can rest assur-
cd that you will be enabled to give
them burial" Aud this was done.
After the second battle of Manassas
the aged father again entered the
Elective Chamber, aud, without say
ing word, seated himself The
Governor recognized him at once,
and thought, Can it bc that this old
man has been afflicted again. Tlo
bade him approach. Tho visitors
voice was broken, but his as he said
"Governorauothor ofthem has gone.
For moment Mr.. Curtin could not
speak lilo silently wrung tho horny
hard Of tho despoi!ed father When
be found voice no said "iOu must
not go | will send for him You
shall SEQ him again" And this WAS
done. When the news Of the battle
of Gcttysburgh reached IIarrisburgh
Governor Curtin travelled rapidly
accros1 country and viewed that
memorable conflict. After its con-
clusion he returned TO ilarrisburgh
and wns seated lnto at night in his
TO, IN when again Rankin entered
without rnying work md silently
seated himself upon chair only
God thought Dir, Curtin, "it cam
not DO that tho blow has fallen
upon this poor oldm p2Oin'
lie could net bring himself TO ask
the question, and for fully fifteen
minutes the two men sat in that
room, their heads upon thor bands,
and neither uttered word. At
lnst the old mon said, as he s'calicd
his voice, "GovorUor, the other two
arc gone" Tho other twoH Til
is terrible" "Ycs, Governor, the
othor two. They hnvo taken them
all.r lie wished pass to enter the
lines that bo might bring homo his
silent sons "You arc too DID," said
the anguislod Governor. ii will
send for them and they shall bo tak~
en- home" Aud this was done
After Governor Curtin had return
ed to bis country at tue close OF his
five years residence at tho Court Of
Russia, he was in Philadelphia when
it was minated 10 him that Mr..
Rankin who would be highly delight
cd if his benefactor would pay him
q visit hen tho ex-Minister WAS on
his way to his homo in Centre conn
ty. Mr.. Curtin said that ho would
comply, and when ho reached
tho railroad station nearest TO the
Lycomipg county farmers homo, he
found the old mGn waiting for him
with carriage. That evening the
people Of the surrounding country,
at Mr.. Rankin's bidding, 1ocked to
do honor TO tho ex>Governor. The
next morning after parlaking Of II
breakfast such as only Il, Pennsylvania
farm house can produce, the aged
agriculturist invited Mr.. Curtin to
join him in walk.
lie led the way to wooded knoll
near the house and atop Of which
was q beautifully-sodded inclosure,